Letters

Charter Schools Give Taxpayers A Voucher

To the Editor:

Regarding your front-page story ("Parents Ask for Waivers To Put Students Back
in Bilingual Education," Nov. 11, 1998): It is truly a shame we
don't have a better system of school choice in this country. If there
were more charter schools, parents could just "voucher" their tax
dollars to a school of their choice. They would have more control over
the education of their children.

The irony here is that the parents and educators desiring a return
to bilingual education are likely to be those who oppose school choice
and vouchers. It is always interesting when the shoe is on the other
foot.

Michael E. TomlinAssociate Professor
College of Education
University of Idaho
Boise, Idaho

Better Transcripts for 'Hiring Smart'

To the Editor:

Joseph H. Crowley, in a recent letter to the editor, offers
insightful comments on the need for employers to better articulate to
schools their workforce needs ("Making Achievement Matter to Employers,"
Letters, Nov. 4, 1998).

We at the Business Coalition for Education Reform agree with him on
this and other points; for example, that these needs must be reflected
in school district standards and assessments. Holding employers,
students, and schools more accountable will surely lead to higher
achievement for all.

Over 3,000 employers are now using school records across the
country. Some of those employers use portfolios and certificates, while
still others use the standard high school transcript. One consistency
across business and community: Employers are using these school records
as one way to get more information about potential employees. Rather
than being a punitive measure, employers (large and small) treat the
school record as one more way to find the best person for the job.

Applicants benefit too: They hear more clearly what it is that
employers are looking for. As Mr. Crowley points out, for this
initiative to work, employers must be willing to do this.

By July 1999, we will have identified 10,000 employers who are
making use of such records when making entry-level hiring decisions.
This will be a hard sell unless the school records are modified to
highlight information that is useful to employers.

Currently, high school transcripts usually contain valuable
information about a student's attendance, behavior, academic
coursework, and grades--but many employers believe transcripts are not
as helpful in the hiring process as they could be. The problem,
employers say, is that transcripts often do not convey useful
information about a student's skills, abilities, and experiences, such
as internships or school-to-work activities. Moreover, because academic
standards and assessments differ from school to school, employers feel
grades do not provide a consistent comparison of these skills and
abilities.

In response to this problem, employers and educators, such as those
in the campaign's six pilot communities (the state of Maryland;
Warwick, R.I.; Santa Cruz, Calif.; Greater Miami/Dade County, Fla.;
Rochester, N.Y.; and northeast Ohio), are beginning to work together to
develop school records that convey more objective, useful information
about student performance.

"Hiring Smart: An Employer's Guide to Using School Records" is a
resource developed by the National Alliance of Business that explains
some of the questions concerning this issue. It outlines specific
strategies that any company can use to reinforce the value of
academics.

More information on this campaign is available on the World Wide Web
at www.bcer.org.

Elizabeth PauleyBusiness Coalition for Education Reform
National Alliance of Business
Washington, D.C.

International Study's Unreported Findings

To the Editor:

Regarding your recent article on the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development's report ("U.S. Graduation Rates Starting To Fall
Behind," Nov. 25, 1998): You miss the most important new aspect of
the report--the international increases in higher education enrollment
and spending. Also omitted is the increasing international achievement
gap between high- and low-performing students.

When dealing with the spending question, you fail to separate K-12
spending from higher education. This is a critical distinction,
particularly for the United States, where higher education investments
have traditionally been quite high.

Consequently, the reader is left with the wrongful impression that
the United States has lost K-12 productivity and that the K-12 cost has
increased as a proportion of gross domestic product. Neither impression
is correct.

William J. MathisAssociate Professor
University of Vermont
Burlington, Vt.

Song Without Lyrics Can't Promote Drugs

To the Editor:

In reference to your news item titled "Missouri Band's Song Banned"
("News in Brief," Nov. 4, 1998),
I think that the superintendent in question is taking a little issue
and pushing it over the line. The marching band at Fort Zumwalt North
High School spent months practicing a song and then a few parents
complained about the song's lyrics--saying it glorifies drug use--and
the superintendent tells the students that the song cannot be
performed.

The superintendent should know that the lyrics to Jefferson
Airplane's "White Rabbit" will not be sung by the band; only the music
will be played. Maybe he should ban the school's fight song, since it
could be said to promote violence.

I am tired of parents ruining school-related activities by
complaining to authorities that such activities should be censored.

Based on my own experience, I can say that this song, performed
without the lyrics, could not have any direct association with drugs.
It is ridiculous to believe that a song without lyrics could be deemed
as promoting drug use. I think the students should be allowed to
perform "White Rabbit."